


Spoiled

by Thors_Drawers



Series: Rose Colored Redemption [2]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, brotherly shennanigans, parenting is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 11:33:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20506283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thors_Drawers/pseuds/Thors_Drawers
Summary: Arthur has to discipline his daughter for the first time. He doesn't handle it well.





	Spoiled

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a companion one-shot to my longer fic If There Is Beauty. If you haven't read here are a few things you might need to know for this to make sense:
> 
> The Braithewait/Gray con went well and the gang now lives on a ranch in WA  
Arthur is married to Tess and they have a daughter, Bessie  
Beau is the black lab Tess gave Arthur for Xmas  
Tess has a habit of calling Arthur a silly man, usually with fond exasperation

"No!"

The little house that just a moment before had been buzzing with the activity of seven people as the Morgans and Marstons prepared to share a meal suddenly went quiet.

Almost every eye turned to where Bessie, who had been playing at the kitchen table with Robert, was now having a stare down with her father. For the last ten minutes or so, Arthur had been trying to gently cajole her into clearing their toys from the table so they could get ready for supper. She had mostly ignored him, but the food was almost ready so he had finally stopped hinting and simply told her to clear up. And she told _him_, "No".

The others watched, their interest and intent varied. Jack and Robert wanted to make sure they weren't in the line of fire should punishment be handed out. John watched with amusement; he knew how badly Arthur spoiled his daughter and he wondered if his brother even had it in him to discipline her. Tess gave Arthur a pointed look letting him know she would not be coming to his aid this time - it was high time Bessie's father had a hand in more than spoiling her silly. Even beau looked up from the bone he was gnawing on in front of the fire. Only Abigail, with two young boys and another (_please, Lord let it be a daughter this time_) on the way, found this type of scene so commonplace that she'd hardly noticed, and simply continued bustling about the kitchen.

After a quick look around the room for help that wasn't coming, Arthur swallowed and tried his hardest to look stern. "What did you just say to me, young lady?"

Bessie, all of three years old, drew herself up, looked notorious outlaw Arthur Morgan in the eye and said, "No!" stamping her little foot.

"Well... um... I guess - I guess you can spend the rest of the night in your room then, little Miss." Arthur looked to Tess, who gave him an encouraging nod of approval.

Bessie huffed but didn't look too put out as Arthur continued, "No more playtime, you can eat supper in yer room," he took a deep breath, "_and_ none of that cobbler yer mama's been workin' on all day."

That got Bessie's attention, the little girl having definitely inherited her father's sweet tooth. They had both been looking forward that night's dessert since Susan had come back from town with fresh cherries two days ago, and the promise of a cobbler had been the only way Tess could stop Arthur from constantly sneaking them pieces of the fruit from the bowl Tilly had brought down to the house.

"But, Daddy..." Bessie's little lip began to quiver.

"But nothing, Missy," Arthur cut her off, pointing down the hall to her room and not looking her in the eye lest he lose his resolve. "Now, git!"

++++++

Arthur barely touched his supper. He mostly pushed it around on his plate, looking miserable and visibly flinching whenever he heard a sob from down the hall. Tess kept giving him sympathetic looks and patting his arm, but she was proud of him. She understood why he spoiled Bessie the way he did, but the child had to learn she couldn't get her way every time she ran to Daddy. And, quite frankly, she was tired of being the only disciplinarian in the house.

John, on the other hand, seemed to find the whole thing hilarious, and teased Arthur throughout the meal.

"What a sorry sight, can't even eat his meal."

"Shut it, John."

"Big, bad Arthur Morgan, laid low by a three year old."

"Dammit, Marston."

"John, you fool, leave him be," Abigail said, smacking her husband lightly on the arm as she stood to help Tess clear away their dishes. "Now, who's ready for some of that cobbler?"

Bessie must have been listening at her door because as soon as the word "cobbler" was said another wail sounded from her room. Arthur hung his head and sighed.

"None for me, thank you," he said.

Tess couldn't say she was surprised, "Are you sure, sweetheart? I know you been looking forward to it all day."

Arthur just shook his head sadly, and John decided to take pity on his (rather pathetic) big brother.

"Tell ya what. Ladies, you and the boys stay and enjoy dessert," another sob from down the hall, "I'm gonna take Father of the Year here out for a drink."

++++++

It was nearing midnight when Tess heard the horses outside. Stepping out onto the porch she glanced over to see a light on next door; looked like Abigail was waiting up, too. Of course she would be. The women both knew that when the two brothers got together they became either one of the deadliest pairs of guns to ever walk the earth - or complete idiots. Now that they were out of the outlaw life, well, the smart money was on idiots.

The scene Tess came outside to had her wishing she'd made that bet.

They had been brought home, drunk as skunks, by Sadie. Arthur, covered in mud, was slouched behind her on Bob, Val following on behind. John was also filthy but at least on his own horse. He was, however, swaying so wildly to whatever tune it was he was humming that Tess was amazed he had stayed in he saddle.

"Think I may have found something belonging to you ladies." Sadie said as Abigail joined Tess at the bottom of the porch steps.

She had found them, she explained, sitting in the muddy street outside the saloon. Arthur had been slumped against John, John's arm around his shoulder, clearly miserable about something. John, for his part, had seemed torn between trying to comfort his brother and laughing at him.

"Is everything OK over here?" She asked Tess. "I couldn't get much outta him except that he made you cry and thought you might hate him now."

"No... not her..." Arthur mumbled from behind Sadie before suddenly lurching off of the horse and staggering over to the bushes along side the house. John seemed to find this pretty funny until the retching sounds started and he made a face, turning a slight shade of green and swaying all the more atop Old Boy.

"Oh yes, Sadie, everything is just fine." Tess replied, trying and failing to stifle her giggles at the situation, the sound of which sent John into a loud fit of drunken cackling from where he was still (miraculously) in the saddle, tho listing decidedly to one side.

"Alright, you damn fool," Abigail said taking Old Boy's reigns, "time to get you to bed. Thank you for bringing them home, Sadie" With that she slowly led the horse toward the house next door, John still very much at risk of falling off.

"What in the heck's gotten into these two?" Sadie asked Tess, jumping down from Bob to get Val hitched up.

Tess giggled again as she made her way to where Arthur sagged against to corner of the house, "Arthur finally had to discipline his daughter today."

"Ah, I see." Sadie smiled, "Well, it's about time, I'd say. Tho, can't say I'm too surprised he's takin' it so hard. Always said he was too soft on that little girl."

"You and me both," Tess sighed as Sadie mounted back up. "Thank you again for getting them home safe, Sadie."

"My pleasure. Have fun with that one." Sadie gave a quick little wave and was off, leaving Tess to deal with her drunken mess of a husband.

"Alright, then, up you get." Tess helped Arthur to his feet, thankful he'd managed not to sit in the puddle of his own sick. Mud was one thing, but vomit would mean Arthur spending the night sleeping on the porch.

She managed to wrangle him up the stairs and to the door before Arthur grabbed the frame, stopping them, and hiccuped, "D'ya think she'll hate me for-forever?"

"Of course not," Tess relied, getting them moving again, "that girl worships the ground her daddy walks on." She deposited him on the sofa and went to fetch him some water. "I think it'll take more than one missed dessert to change that."

Arthur took the cup Tess offered, but just stared into it. "I sure hope yer right," he said morosely.

"Of course I'm right. Now drink up so we can get you to bed." Tess smiled fondly at her husband. "You silly man."


End file.
